S:
We spend the next month just like before- Lindsey pops in for occasional visits, we go out for dinner, the movies and we even walk around the mall for a few hours at a time. But we don't go beyond that in any way.
But he does tell me all about his roommate- the one he's almost got pregnant. He says they've lived together for two years, but then he assures me that she's moving out, which is probably for the best since they're both going to have children running around before long.
Lindsey and I also go to my routine check ups, just to make sure both babies are doing alright. And they are, for the most part. One of the babies still has a slow heartbeat, but they continue to assure me that all the stuff they recommended, should be doing it's trick. With a good diet, plenty of vitamins and some rest- the babies will be as healthy as ever.
Also, on a chilly afternoon in late January, Bridget jumped on a bus and headed out to Louisiana for basic training. It was hard as a mother- I cried all the way home while Adam, Betsy and even Lindsey all tried to assure me that everything was going to be just fine. But I still don't believe that- not even a little.
~~~
"I can't believe you're leaving me too." I whine and slouch my shoulders.
Lindsey leaves tonight for Chicago, Betsy and Adam are headed to New York in the morning to see his family and now Lori is driving out to see my parents. I'm going to be so alone... I'm not really used to that anymore.
"We're only going to be gone for a week, honey." Lori smiles softly, tossing clothes into her suitcase quickly.
"Yea, but everyone else is leaving..." I'm not trying to be needy- I'm just being honest. "Me and my kids are going to be all by ourselves." Pulling her clothes out of her suitcase, I start to fold them nicely.
They would be wrinkled to hell if I didn't.
"You can come with us to see grandma and grandpa!" My favorite red head nods quickly, eyes wide with hope.
She probably doesn't want to sit around their home, talking about Jeopardy, doing puzzles and baking cookies, all by herself... I don't blame her, not at all.
"Oh, I would love that," I giggle faintly. "But I don't think these babies would want to sit in a car for that long."
"Are they almost done cooking yet?" She repeats the same thing my niece has asked a hundred times, just to make me laugh.
"I think like..." I pause for a second, trying to do the math. "I think like nine more weeks..?"
I should be thirty-one weeks into this pregnancy on Saturday, which is almost crazy.
"It's going to be great." Lori nods, a very reassuring smile on her sweet face.
"It'll be something." I shake my head as I slip off the bed. "I should probably get going." I let out a sigh as I start getting myself together to head out.
"You don't have to go, Stevie." She slouches to one side of the bathroom door, stuffing some makeup into her makeup bag.
"I have to run to the grocery store and then I have a couple of other things to do." I don't really have to do all that, but I don't want to sound like a total loser and tell her that I plan to go sit alone in my bed and stare at the wall... that's sad.
"Well, I love you. Call me if you need anything." She trails towards me, holding out her arms to hug me tightly. "And you little wild children better be good for your mama." She half smiles as she points towards my tummy.
"Love you, too, Lori." I frown again, which causes us both to laugh lightly.
"I'll see you in precisely seven days," She chuckles as she follows me out of the bedroom and into the hallway.
"For sure," I wave lightly, venturing down the stairs and through the foyer.
After I leave, I head to the store and pick up a few things I'm going to need for the week. And once I get home, I immediately start going through another set of papers from my new class this semester.
I have a full lecture, which means about one hundred and twenty- five students in attendance. It's ridiculous, but I have to remind myself that I'm probably not going to be doing this much longer. I plan to take the fall semester off, and maybe even the spring. I want to be home with the babies, so taking a leave of absence seems best at the moment.
I jump softly when the house phone starts to ring. "Okay," I mumble, sliding off the chair in the kitchen to answer. "Hello?" I ask as I put the phone up to my ear.
"Hey, Stevie." Lindsey's voice sounds like music to my ears... except he was supposed to be in the air by now.
"Hi, Linds, what's up?" I lean into the counter, eyes pointed down at my slippers.
"My plane got delayed for awhile because of the storm," he says with a light chuckle.
Looking out the window, I just now realize how dark it's gotten. It's pouring down rain and there are leaves blowing passed the kitchen window as the howling of the chilly night echoes through my ears. It's relaxing, but at the same time- kind of scary.
"Are you alright, honey?" He says, which immediately pulls me back into our conversation
"I'm good, yea. Are you excited?" I'm sure he's thrilled to be getting away from the hell hole his life has turned into... Chicago probably seems like heaven.
"Not at all," his words make me smile, "I miss you and those two kiddos already."
I love how he talks about them like he's already so in love, even though they aren't even here yet. It's amazing to me, it really is.
"Do they have any idea when you're going to get into the air?" It's not that I want him to leave, but I do want to make sure I know when to expect a call that he made it alright.
It's not that we're in a relationship, because we aren't. We're friends, and that's how it should be. I want to make sure that he's alright, and he seems to want the same for me... simply because we're sharing two little lives.
"They said by midnight we should be headed to Chicago." He assures from the other end of the phone.
"I hope you have a good time and stay safe." I tell him, a small smile sneaking across my lips.
"You too, Stevie. Have a good night." He says, and once I reply- we both end the call.
Sighing lightly, I journey back to the table where my work is sprawled out. I'm over it for the evening, so I decide to slide everything back into the folder to grade a little later.
I make sure everything is locked, turned off and put away before I head up the staircase. But I only make it halfway to the top when I hear the sound of the house phone once again.
"Shit," I huff, turning around a little too quickly.
And just like that, I lose balance and immediately start to tumble down the stairs.
